Metaphor vs Simile Same idea, slightly different grammar, and just enough to confuse everyone learning English! Welcome Analogy If metaphors and similes are quick comparisons… an analogy takes the idea and runs with it, adding extra detail to help you understand it more clearly (or making it sound more dramatic than necessary). Metaphor A metaphor […]
Idioms are proof that English speakers have collectively agreed to make life harder for everyone else. They’re phrases where the words don’t mean what they say. If someone tells you to “break a leg,” they’re not threatening you—they’re wishing you good luck. (Confusing? Absolutely!) Idioms are often unique to a language, which means translating them
“Do you think speaking a language is enough to teach it?” A lot of people think: “I speak my language, so I can teach it.” By that logic, I eat food every day… so I should be a chef 👩🍳🤣 The truth is getting to an intermediate level (B1) in a language doesn’t happen by accident.
Business jargon is the unofficial language of the workplace—phrases professionals use to communicate ideas, give instructions, and describe everyday tasks. In many cases, these terms could be replaced with simpler, clearer language, but they’ve become so common that they often feel like a second language. While business jargon can facilitate, it is often seen as
How many of us are honest enough to say that we have made grammatical errors either in speech or written text? I know I have, but I don’t like to admit it. Although it is easier to get away with making such errors when speaking, unfortunately that is not the case when it comes to
When I mention contractions, I am not referring to ladies in childbirth nor my hubby whose muscles contract at the mere thought of pulling out his wallet at the mention of a new designer handbag. I am talking, of course, about two words that are combined and certain letters omitted. We put an apostrophe where
Any one Any one is a term that means any single object or person. Any one of those fools could be the next in charge. (Both any and one are referring to ‘fools’.) Any one of these films would keep you entertained. (Both any and one are referring to ‘films’.) The teacher never raised her
Every one Every one can be substituted for ‘each one’ or ‘every single one’ and is referring to individuals in a group. It can be used to refer to people, animals or objects. Every one of them went to the bar. (Every single one of them) Every one of those girls got drunk. (One refers
I am sure most of you reading this blog will have heard, or are familiar with the works, of the famous Irish playwright, poet and author, Oscar Wilde. To some he was a genius but to us at Libertad Communications he was as fallible as he was human. Below is a written quote, which might
Lots of things annoy me about written English and this heinous crime is probably the most irritating of them all. In fact, it bothers me so much that I feel compelled to hit things whenever I see it. It’s just an accent! In some regional accents, I totally understand that ‘should’ve’ may sound very much
